new K-3 dude

wahee · 05-10-2014, 06:59 AM

hi all

I currently have some basic NIkon and Canon cameras (D5000 and 1100d)
Great little cameras but I have noticed that the images are not as sharp as my friends top end Canons and Pentax cameras

I spotted the K-3 while looking at Canon cameras. It looked great and the reviews were very positive. I do some astro photography hence me having the 1100D as it's great for the price and has low noise.

I hope to use the K-3 as well for some astro work although I now mainly use a CCD

I am loving the K-3 but have had some hit and misses with my images. They can be either superb or pretty lousy. This seems mostly down to my rather noobish point and shoot approach.

A quick increase of the incamera sharpening and better more steady technique and the images just were 'there'

Anyway camera is great my only quibble is the lack of any support for remote shooting from a PC. The tether card looks ok but seem you have to connect to it rather then it connecting to an existing network. Also I just need something very basic to get focus and shoot while the camera is on the telescope.

Last edited by Parallax; 05-10-2014 at 07:54 AM.

Ole · 05-10-2014, 09:01 AM

Welcome! You may be interested in the O-GPS1 accessory, which will enable the K-3 to track stars.

You're right, the FluCard creates a WiFi hotspot which you connect to. However, it isn't as hard as it may sound to make it work. We reviewed it here.

Stone G. · 05-10-2014, 09:22 AM

HI wahee and welcome. I am also somewhat of an astrophotographer, having used *ist DL, K200D and now K-5 and K-3, and my first experiences with the K-3 sensor are very positive.

Originally posted by wahee

Also I just need something very basic to get focus and shoot while the camera is on the telescope.

With your K-3 and the FluCard O-FC1 you can have just that. The camera operates in liveview while connected via the card to your smartphone/tablet/netbook/PC and thus, you can do critical focus "live" at a 100% view and shoot immediately thereafter (also in Bulb-mode 2).

While you cannot download raw-files wirelessly to your control unit, you can do so with your JPEG-files, should you need even more quality control during your astrophotograhy sessions.

I trust you will enjoy your K-3. It's a great camera - also for astrophotograpy.

wahee · 05-10-2014, 10:47 AM

hi many thanks for the kind words. I did a 6min dark test and the noise was very low indeed. There is some amp glow kind of thing? but it may be ok in use as it where..

I do definitely fancy the O-FC1 it's such a great idea. Web reports seem to vary in success. The only way is to try for myself I guess.

I'm hoping there will be a version of PK-Tether for the K-3 as that looks like just the ticket. In the meantime I can use an intervalometer.

I will check out the FLU crd but I did have a similar? Toshiba card and it was just a nightmare compare with the eye-fi
My laptop has wifi on it so the FLU card may be a good investment

BTW here's the dark image attached

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

Jean Poitiers · 05-10-2014, 11:06 PM

Bonjour from France and welcome to PF, wahee ... Hope to see some K-3 images soon ... Salut, J

**Kerrowdown** · 05-11-2014, 03:48 AM

Originally posted by wahee

They can be either superb or pretty lousy

Welcome, photography can be a bit like that, if you got perfect results every time it would get boring.

OregonJim · 05-11-2014, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by Stone G.

While you cannot download raw-files wirelessly to your control unit,

You CAN download raw files with the Flu card. Just change the .jpg extension in the URL to .dng or .pef. Simple as that.

Stone G. · 05-14-2014, 06:15 AM

Originally posted by OregonJim

You CAN download raw files with the Flu card. Just change the .jpg extension in the URL to .dng or .pef. Simple as that.

You are right - or partially right, it seems to me. I tried, and here's how it works on my WIN 7 netbook with Chrome:

1. You have to save both raw and JPEG on the FluCard
2. Open the full-size image in Chrome
3. Right-click the image and use "copy the address of this image"
4. Open a new tab in Chrome and paste the URL in the address bar
5. Change the extension to .PEF or .DNG and press enter
6. Download starts and the raw file is being saved to the default destination ('Downloads') folder on the PC - took some 20 seconds.

I don't see that I can make anything like the above work on my iPhone.

Any suggestions?

OregonJim · 05-14-2014, 11:42 AM

Originally posted by Stone G.

You are right - or partially right, it seems to me. I tried, and here's how it works on my WIN 7 netbook with Chrome:

1. You have to save both raw and JPEG on the FluCard
2. Open the full-size image in Chrome
3. Right-click the image and use "copy the address of this image"
4. Open a new tab in Chrome and paste the URL in the address bar
5. Change the extension to .PEF or .DNG and press enter
6. Download starts and the raw file is being saved to the default destination ('Downloads') folder on the PC - took some 20 seconds.

I don't see that I can make anything like the above work on my iPhone.

Any suggestions?

I don't have an iPhone, but can verify that it works on an Android phone. However, why would one want to move raw files to a phone?

**Rondec** · 05-14-2014, 11:51 AM

Welcome! The K3 is a great camera with plenty of room for growth.

05-10-2014, 06:59 AM	#1
wahee Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 29	new K-3 dude hi all I currently have some basic NIkon and Canon cameras (D5000 and 1100d) Great little cameras but I have noticed that the images are not as sharp as my friends top end Canons and Pentax cameras I spotted the K-3 while looking at Canon cameras. It looked great and the reviews were very positive. I do some astro photography hence me having the 1100D as it's great for the price and has low noise. I hope to use the K-3 as well for some astro work although I now mainly use a CCD I am loving the K-3 but have had some hit and misses with my images. They can be either superb or pretty lousy. This seems mostly down to my rather noobish point and shoot approach. A quick increase of the incamera sharpening and better more steady technique and the images just were 'there' Anyway camera is great my only quibble is the lack of any support for remote shooting from a PC. The tether card looks ok but seem you have to connect to it rather then it connecting to an existing network. Also I just need something very basic to get focus and shoot while the camera is on the telescope. Last edited by Parallax; 05-10-2014 at 07:54 AM.

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05-10-2014, 09:01 AM	#2
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,408	Welcome! You may be interested in the O-GPS1 accessory, which will enable the K-3 to track stars. You're right, the FluCard creates a WiFi hotspot which you connect to. However, it isn't as hard as it may sound to make it work. We reviewed it here.

05-10-2014, 09:22 AM	#3
Stone G. Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Zealand, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,516	HI wahee and welcome. I am also somewhat of an astrophotographer, having used *ist DL, K200D and now K-5 and K-3, and my first experiences with the K-3 sensor are very positive. Originally posted by wahee Also I just need something very basic to get focus and shoot while the camera is on the telescope. With your K-3 and the FluCard O-FC1 you can have just that. The camera operates in liveview while connected via the card to your smartphone/tablet/netbook/PC and thus, you can do critical focus "live" at a 100% view and shoot immediately thereafter (also in Bulb-mode 2). While you cannot download raw-files wirelessly to your control unit, you can do so with your JPEG-files, should you need even more quality control during your astrophotograhy sessions. I trust you will enjoy your K-3. It's a great camera - also for astrophotograpy.

05-10-2014, 11:06 PM	#5
Jean Poitiers Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,076	*Bonjour* from France and welcome to PF, wahee ... Hope to see some K-3 images soon ... *Salut*, J

05-11-2014, 03:48 AM	#6
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by wahee They can be either superb or pretty lousy Welcome, photography can be a bit like that, if you got perfect results every time it would get boring.

05-11-2014, 12:43 PM	#7
OregonJim Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 1,327	Originally posted by Stone G. While you cannot download raw-files wirelessly to your control unit, You CAN download raw files with the Flu card. Just change the .jpg extension in the URL to .dng or .pef. Simple as that.

05-14-2014, 06:15 AM	#8
Stone G. Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Zealand, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,516	Originally posted by OregonJim You CAN download raw files with the Flu card. Just change the .jpg extension in the URL to .dng or .pef. Simple as that. You are right - or partially right, it seems to me. I tried, and here's how it works on my WIN 7 netbook with Chrome: 1. You have to save both raw and JPEG on the FluCard 2. Open the full-size image in Chrome 3. Right-click the image and use "copy the address of this image" 4. Open a new tab in Chrome and paste the URL in the address bar 5. Change the extension to .PEF or .DNG and press enter 6. Download starts and the raw file is being saved to the default destination ('Downloads') folder on the PC - took some 20 seconds. I don't see that I can make anything like the above work on my iPhone. Any suggestions?

05-14-2014, 11:42 AM	#9
OregonJim Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 1,327	Originally posted by Stone G. You are right - or partially right, it seems to me. I tried, and here's how it works on my WIN 7 netbook with Chrome: 1. You have to save both raw and JPEG on the FluCard 2. Open the full-size image in Chrome 3. Right-click the image and use "copy the address of this image" 4. Open a new tab in Chrome and paste the URL in the address bar 5. Change the extension to .PEF or .DNG and press enter 6. Download starts and the raw file is being saved to the default destination ('Downloads') folder on the PC - took some 20 seconds. I don't see that I can make anything like the above work on my iPhone. Any suggestions? I don't have an iPhone, but can verify that it works on an Android phone. However, why would one want to move raw files to a phone?

05-14-2014, 11:51 AM	#10
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Welcome! The K3 is a great camera with plenty of room for growth.